Scotch
The Whisky of Scotland in fact and story
by Sir Robert Bruce Lockhart, KCMG

Published in 1974 by Putnam & Company, London.

titleauthorpublisheryear (first)isbnlanguageppbooksizeedition
Scotch The Whisky of Scotland in fact and storySir Robert Bruce Lockhart KCMGPutnam & Company, London UK19590370000609english184hardcover143x2235th; 1974


frontcover lockhart The introduction on the sleeve jacket reads as follows:

The water of life - such was the original Gaelic name for whisky, a succinct expression of the worship which the Highland Spirit has always inspired, from those misty days when it was the coveted brew of mountain tribesmen, to its now acknowledged eminence, liquid gold, the tax gatherer's joy, "like magic in a pint bottle".
The author, who knew Speyside from boyhood, tells his story of the whisky world with a wealth of knowledge and anecdote. Like many another of Highland blood, he mourned the eclipse of the great malt whiskies, and wrote nostalgically of them and of the men who created them with loving care beside the waters of Spey and Livet. Those early distillers were the founders of the present traditions of "Scotch"; earlier there had been a century, rich in legend, of struggle between the faithful henchmen of worm and cauldron, and the watchful "gaugers".
The invention of the patent-still brought the potentialities of world domination. The foundations of whisky's empire were laid, and the expansion carried out, by men of colourful personality and formidable dynamism - John and Thomas Dewar, James Buchanan, Alexander and John Walker, John Haig. Sir Robert has many tales of these great figures.
To go round off his "personal history", he tells of the Distillers Company Ltd, of the fortunes of whisky during Prohibition, and of the state and condition of its empire in the abasements and upheavals of our times.


The contents of this book consist of
preface
Part oneTHE WATER OF LIFE
chapter IThe Origins
chapter IIGlenlivet and the Grants
chapter IIIBalmenach
chapter IVFine Folks
chapter VThe Rise of Grain
chapter VIThe 'What is Whisky?' Case
Part TwoTHE WHISKY BARONS
chapter IThe Dewars
chapter IIThe Walkers
chapter IIIJames Buchanan
chapter IVThe Haigs and Mackies
Part ThreeWAR, PROHIBITION AND DOLLARS
chapter IAmalgamation
chapter IIProhibition
chapter IIIScotland's Drink
chapter IVWhisky Now
Index
IllustrationsThere are no illustrations in this book.


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